Wyoming Residents Urged To Get Flu Shots

Spokeswoman Kim Deti says that while most people may consider influenza to be an unpleasant inconvenience, it can be much more than that in some cases. Wyoming recorded 27 known deaths from influenza last flu season, mostly among older residents. That is a much higher number of flu deaths than is typically recorded in the Cowboy State in one season.

Deti says that while most folks should be vaccinated, there are some groups for whom it is especially important. They include the following:

·People at high risk of serious flu complications including young children; pregnant women; people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease; and people 65 years and older.

·Healthcare workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people.

·People who live with or care for infants because babies younger than 6 months are at high risk, but are too young to be vaccinated.

Deti says the option of being vaccinated with a nasal mist is back again this year. There

are also shots specially designed to protect against the three or four flu strains expected to be most common, and higher dose vaccines are available for the elderly.